Electrolytic cell.



C. W. MARSH.

ELBCTROLYTIC CELL.

APPLICATION FILED 11141.10, 1911.

1,975,362. Patented 0011.111913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' @M mf "DMW/L,

C. W. MARSH.

BLEGTROLYTIG CELL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1911.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

3 SHEETS-*SHEET 2.

G. W. MARSH.

ELEGTROLYTIC CELL. APPLICATION FILED APRJO, 1911.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

Imz.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

,amm-e l UNET-E (mannitol: W. manen-,cn enEENWicH, oormnc'riou'r,Assistme, BY MnsNn essieu# MENTS, 'ro noemen. EnEcTnocHEmc-ar. COMPANY,OF New YORK, N. Y., A con ORATION 0F NEE-1W YORK.

ntnc'motrri'c CELL.

Specification of etters latent.

Application inea April 1019'1-1. serial No. 620,024.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that CLARENCE W. MARSH, a citizenof the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Fairfieldand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electrolytic Cells, of which' the following is aspecication.

rlhis invent-ion relates to electrolytic cells, and particularly tocells of the diaphragm 4type intended for the decomposition of chloridsof sodium and potassium.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a system whereinthe electrical connections for individual cells, as well aS for a seriesof cells, are greatly simplified and the weight of metal necessary forsuch connections is minimized, and wherein the installation is renderedmore iieXible as re.- gards the capacity of the series-connected units.

The invention likewise contemplates the provision of a novel type ofcell of the general class above referred to.

For a full understanding of the invention the same will he described byreference, to certain specific embodiments thereof, 'reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view illustrating one construction ofcell in accordance with the invention, and one mode of connecting anumber 'of such cells electricalll in ls e'ries; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection yon ine II of Fig. 1, of one of t-he cells shown in Fig. l; Fig.3 isa vertical sec-v tional view showing a number of cells of modified tries; Fig. 1s a horizontal section 'of one of the cells on line IV-V ofFig. 3; ig. 5 is a detail view showing one method of securing th cathodecompartments to the cell body; gi 6 is a face View of the form ofcathode pgl'ate illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, viewed from the anodeside. Figs. T, 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views showing a pluralityof cell-units of the type illustrated in Fig. l assembled in vertically.superposed series; and Fig. 1.0 is 'an 'elevation showing one mode ofassembling a number of cell units. Y

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the cells therein 'shown each compriseessentially a hoglow or recessed body l, which may be ma e pe connectedyelectrically in se-k in one or more sections as may be desired ofreinforced concrete or other suitable material. The body 1 contains theanodes 2 and the electrolyte, and may be regarded as the anodecompartment of the cell. .The cathode 3 is a perforated steel plate orsheet extending across the open side of the anode compartment, and facedon the side adjacent the anode by a suitable diaphragm 4, which may beof asbestos cloth or thelike. 5 represents the cathode chamber, usuallyof iron or steel, and riveted or otherwise mechanically and electricallysecured to the cathode Suitable inlet and discharge Openings e?.Perdedfttoee illustrated .being the out 'et 6 for chlorni and spentbrine', brine inlets 7, an outlet 8 iorthe caustic solution anglIL :anoutl'e't) for hydrogen. yfhe cathode c amber 5 may be s cured to thebody 1 bybtolts, elamps, fwe ges, cams 'or other approved eans. Themeans herein illustrated (see l ii. .5) comprises wedges 10 eXtendingthrong apertures vil in the outwardly-eigtending web 12 ofangle bars13., which are permanently secured to ,the cell body by means of bolts14,'andt0gether constitute a frame cbmpletel n encircling the cathodecompartments 'e wedge members 10 bear upon and support .the flanges ofthe cathode compartments 5'. vThe anodefs 2 may be of gra hite, andr areshown .as supported in close proximity to the dlaphra'gln 4e, uponinsulating blo'crs 1.5. lhe anode coriiiectibns compris in he particurarferie Sheva, aerepht'eblo 16 Se cured yto the anode 2 by taperpihs." i7Valso of graphite, and a conductor 18 whichmay be of aluminum or copper,and which ex,- tends throtigflithe rear wall *fof* tli'e cell bedr.tie-ins sweetly Coated irneuetlfng material 19 vin such manner as torevent corrosionL by the products electrolysis. 2U represents a busbarinterconnecting lthe severai 'anode's of.' the cell-nnit. 'short metalcoupling 2i detachablyconnects this bus-liar with the cathode clamber ofthe cell next in series. A precise y similar p'rovistos is ses@ fet theseries @erlesenen @i the remaining cells..l A All cells are shown aScarried bg, insulating 'sopprime 22.

Figs". 3, l and il ustifate'a seriesvor cell o iiiodiiied type, the porose 'of the me i'catin being. to insreajset e electrode 'arca in a cellof given diinnsibns. In tins across the anode compartment, and the.

cathode 3, together with the diaphragm 4, is provided with a pluralityof pockets extending into the interspaces of the anodes, whereby theactive cathode area is greatly increased. This construction presents theadvantage that both faces of the several intermediate anodes are workingsurfaces, thus providing a more effective utilization of the anodematerial. In order to provide the necessary mechanical separation of theanode and cathode compartments the pockets or recesses formed by theextensions of the cathode into the anode chamber are closed both at thetop and bottom by an imperforate insulating orinsulated plate 2?,attached to the imperforate liange 24 of the cathode plate. Suchinsulated portions of the cathode plate may consist of concrete, metalcoated with bakelite or a bakelite composition, or the like. For examplethey may comprise merely imperforate portions of the cathode plate,having surface coatings of insulation applied thereto. The top andbottom plates 23 are preferably oppositely inclined as shown in Fig. 3to prevent -pocketing of-chlorin under the lower and of hydrogen under.the upper plate. Obviously the contour of the recessed portions of thecathode plate may be varied as desired, the anode construction beingcorrespondingly modified toA present working faces in proximity to thecathodes. The cells thus constructedl may be series connected in anydesired manner. As illustrated 'in Figs. 3 and 4 each anode is directlycoupled to the cathode plate of the next cell in series, by means ofcouplings 21.

Fig. 7 illustrates a further application ofv the principles abovedescribed, and shows lone mode of mounting or assembling the cell-unitsto provide increased capacity and other advantages. According to thisconstruction a plurality of-cell-units A, A, are

formed il a single integral body 1 of concrete. Instead of an integralconcrete body forA several cell-units, these cell-units may be separateand superposed as illustrated at B, B, in Fig. 8; or they. may be spacedeither vertically or horizontally or both, be-

ing placed. for example in superposed, independently supported banks asindicated at C, C, in Fig. 9. In any case the number of cell-units maybe multiplied as desired, both vertically and horizont-ally. For exampleFig. 10 shows a structure embodying the nine cell-units D, D, etc.,disposed in three vertically superposed series of three cells each. Thisconstruct-ion presents certain advantages of great technical importance,some of which are as follows: The indicell-units D constituting eachseries-unit being electrically interconnected both on the positive andnegative sides as indicated by the dotted lines 25 in such manner. as toform a single electrical unit. In such-.construction any cell-unit maybe disconnected from circuit for cleaning or repair without interruptingthe operation of the remaining cell-units and without anynecessity forbridging over the disconnected cell,

the current automatically distributing itself .through the other'cell-units constituting the series-unit, and the sole effect being atemporary increase in the current density in the other cell-units. Thisresu t is obviously independent of the actual physical connection of thecell-units, whether contained in a single body as in Fig. 7, superl,

posed or otherwise .in contact as in Fig. 8, or spaced as in Fig. 9.

In the foregoing description and in the'y following claims the termcell-unit is' used to designate an individual electrolytic cell; whereasthe term series-unit is used to designate such number of .cell-units asmay be connected electrically in multiple, and thereby constitute asingle electrical unit ina circuit comprising an electricalseries ofsuch units.

I claim 1. A cell for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions,comprising an anode compartment open at oneside only, a substantiallyvertical pervious cathode and diaphragm disposed across said opening,and an anode connection extending horizontally through' the wall of thecell opposite said cathode.

2. A plurality of cells for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions,each comprising an anode compartment open at one side only, asubstantially vertical pervious cathode and diaphragm disposed acrosssaid opening, and an anode, connection extending hori-v zontally throughthe' wall of the cell opposite said cathode, in combination withelectrical connections extending between the anode of each cell and thecathode-of the adjacent cell in series. i

A series-unit for the lelectrolysls `of alkali salt solutions,comprising a plurality of vertically superposed cell-units, eachcell-unit having an'anode compartment open at one side only, a'substantially vertical pervious cathode and diaphragm disposed acrosssaid opening, and an anode connection ext-ending horizontally throughthe wall of the cell opposite said cathode.

4. In a system for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions, alplurality of seriesunits, each comprising a plurality of vcrticallysuperposed cell-units, each of said cell-units having a substantiallyvertical pervious cathode and diaphragm, and an anode connectionextendin horizontally through the wall of said cel opposite saidcathode.

5. In a system for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions, aplurality of seriesunits, each comprising a plurality of vert-icallysuperposed cell-units having a common body, each of said cell-unitshaving a substantially vertical pervious cathode and diaphragm, and ananode connection extending horizontally through the wall of said cellopposite said cathode.

6. Ina cell for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions, a cell-bodysubdivided into a plurality of chambers, each constituting an anodecompartment, anodes in said compartments, and substantially verticalpervious cathodes and diaphragms disposed across the openings of saidcompartments.

7. In an electrolytic cell, a cell-body having in the same side thereofa plurality of chambers, each constituting an anode compartment,A anodesin said compartments, and substantially vertical pervious cathodes anddiaphragms disposed across the opcnings of said compartments.

8. In an electrolytic cell, a cell-body having therein a plurality ofchambers, eac-h constituting an anode compartment, anodes in saidcompartments, substantially vertical pervious cathodes and diaphragmsdisposed across the openings of said compartments, and anode connectionsextending horizontally through the wall of the cell-body opposite saidcathodes.

9. An electrolytic cell comprising anode and cathode compartments, apervious cathode and diaphragm separating said compartments, saidcathode and diaphragm flexed or bent to provide recesses in open lateraland end communication with the anode compartment, and anodes disposed insaid recesses.

10. An electrolytic cell comprising anode and cathode compartments, apervious cathode and diaphragm separating said compartments, saidcathode and diaphragm flexed or bent to provide recesses in open lateraland end communication with the anode compartment, anodes disposed insaid recesses, and anode connections extendingl horizontally through thewall of the cel opposite said cathode.

11. A cell for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions, comprising ananode conipartment open at one side only, a substantially verticalpervious cathode and diaphragm disposed across said opening and havingpockets extending into said anode compartment, said pockets havingimperforate upper and lower walls, and anodes disposed between saidpockets.

12. A cell for the electrolysis of alkali salt solutions, comprising ananode compartment open at one side only, a substantially verticalpervious cathode and diaphragm disposed across said opening and havingpockets extending into said anode compartment, said forate upper andlower walls, anodes disposed between said pockets, and anode connectionsextending horizontally through the Wall of the cell opposite saidcathode.

pockets having imper- 4 In testimony whereof, I affix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE W. MARSH. 1Witnesses:

EDWARD Os'rRoM, J r., GEORGE E. VELIE.

